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Mudbrick

Name: Mudbrick
Director: Nikola Petrović
Released: 2024
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

6.0/10

Good

2024

Director

Nikola Petrović

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Mudbrick disrupts Western-centric storytelling by focusing on Eastern European folklore and Slavic paganism. The tension between the protagonist's life in England and his ancestral village provides a rich framework for exploring the diaspora experience and cultural reclamation. While the film excels in cultural and ethnic representation, it remains ambiguous regarding gender and LGBTQ+ identities. The male-centric protagonist risks traditional clichés, though the mystical setting offers potential for subverting these hierarchies through spiritual roles. Ultimately, the film critiques the 'civilized' Westerner by replacing mainstream moral frameworks with a more complex, ritualistic, and morally ambiguous landscape.

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Category Breakdown

Does Mudbrick have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not explicitly include LGBTQ+ characters or romantic arcs, despite the potential for non-traditional social roles in the cult setting.

How does Mudbrick portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on a male protagonist, which might reinforce patriarchal structures. However, the folk-horror elements hint at female characters holding significant spiritual power or influence within the mystery.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Mudbrick?

Good

The film stands out by centering an Eastern European setting, offering a strong departure from Anglo-centric storytelling. It explores the tension between a Westernized individual and his specific ethnic heritage.

How does Mudbrick represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative emphasizes Slavic paganism over organized Christian morality, challenging Western institutional norms by presenting the village's traditional landscape as a complex, ritualistic environment.

Does Mudbrick include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no specific evidence regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Strong departure from Anglo-centric narratives by centering Eastern European settings.
Effective exploration of non-Western cultural frameworks and suppressed ethnic spiritualities.
Challenges Western institutional norms through the lens of paganism and ritual.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit evidence regarding LGBTQ+ representation or non-normative identities.
Potential for reinforcing patriarchal structures due to the male-centered protagonist.
No visible representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

After inheriting an old mudbrick house in his home village in Eastern Europe, a man returns after spending his whole life in England, only to find out that inhabitants are hiding a dark secret about the pagan Slavic cult and his own past.

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